As advanced modules for radio frequency electrical circuits (e.g., portable consumer devices such as cellular telephones) continue to increase in popularity so too does the need to further shrink die size and cost. In addition, the continuing need for smaller devices requires novel approaches for the integration of the numerous passive elements on the platform. Accordingly, miniaturization of passive devices and passive device circuits is an important goal in radio frequency device technology,
The continuing effort to miniaturize devices has led to various advances in producing integrated passive devices (IPD) including, for example, thin film technology wherein one or more of a resistor, a capacitor, and an inductor are but as integrated thin film devices on a substrate. Problematic in that situation as well as with other IPD techniques, however, is that because passive devices are generally formed directly on the substrate, electrical interactions between the substrate and the passive devices are known to occur. This occurrence runs counter to the general desirability for high performance circuits to include passive devices with high Quality (Q) factors.